Mask for a Blossom
by Neko9406
Summary: Once upon a time there was a half breed demon child who saved the life of a wolf who was not a wolf. This is the early like of Sakura and Kakashi. Ages 5-18 for Sakura and 19-31 for Kakashi.
1. Prologue

Mask for a Blossom

By: Neko9406

Disclaimer: I own very little of this story, but I must say that this story is largely due to Patricia Briggs' _Masques_. After reading this book I found many similarities to Kakashi and Sakura which led me to create my own story for them. If you believe that I am a plagiarist then please make your opinion known to me so that I can delete this story before it spreads itself anymore then you want it. Thank you and now to begin.

Prologue:

The Wolf stumbled across the open field, his left flank seeping blood, as five animated dead _things _quickly made their way behind him. With a desperate attempt the Wolf gathered his chakra and formed two Kage Bunshin to distract the dead flesh eating zombies. With a burst of speed he leapt into the forest as the five zombies faced off with the two clones. Three-fourths to his destination he felt one of the clones die, after finishing off one of the zombies, and shortly afterward the other died, taking with it the destruction of two of the remaining zombies. Kakashi grimaced as he suppressed what little chakra he had left and searched for a safe place to hide. The ground under him suddenly gave way as Kakashi fell into an old wolf pit, rotted with age. Two of the old spikes ripped through the wolf's hind legs as a third speared into his right fore shoulder, the rest broke and crumbled under Kakashi's weight. Blood from the wounds flowered on the silvery grey fur and dripped from clumps onto the cool earth.

_Am I going to die of this?_ Kakashi screamed in his mind _Am I going to die just because of this? Can I even bare to live another moment more? Death…death is much more preferable to being found and brought back to Him! _With a groan Kakashi let his head fall as he waited from the blood to leave his body from its wounds, watching as leaves fell from the great trees of the forest. Sighing he closed his eyes, waiting for death to take him.

In the field the remaining two zombies halted, unable to sense any chakra to lead them to their prey. As one they turned and slowly made their way back across the field to their waiting master.


	2. Prologue 2

Mask for a Blossom

By: Neko9406

Disclaimer: I own very little of this story, but I must say that this story is largely due to Patricia Briggs' _Masques_. After reading this book I found many similarities to Kakashi and Sakura which led me to create my own story for them. If you believe that I am a plagiarist then please make your opinion known to me so that I can delete this story before it spreads itself anymore then you want it. Thank you and now to begin.

Prologue Part 2:

A flash of pink and yellow was all the guards saw before they were ambushed by the two toddlers their Lord had charged them to protect. The yellow haired boy pelted the shorter of the two guards with balls of mud as the pink haired girl leapt at the other. With a squeal the Lady Sakura was snatched out of the air and tucked, wriggling, under the arm of the brown spiky haired man Raido. Her twin brother, Lord Naruto, squeaked as Iruka, wiping mud off his face, dashed and scooped him up in a rolling tackle. Laughing, Iruka began to punish the scar cheeked child with the one method that commanded fear and delight in all children: tickling. The pink haired girl looked at her brother's writhing form in the guard's arms and burst into a waterfall of laughter. Raido grinned as he gently set the laughing girl onto the ground.

"Now missy," Raido began but was cut off as he watched, slightly bemused, as Sakura ran and jumped onto Iruka's back. He sighed as Sakura began to attempt to tickle Iruka. It was only an attempt as the pony-tail man was wearing his thick chunin vest which covered many of his vulnerable spots. Grinning, Iruka raised one of his arms to pull the girl child down into his arms alongside her brother. Before he could reach her a gust of wind rustled from the forest and the twins suddenly stopped moving. Iruka noticed this first since Naruto usually would have started trying to escape his grip not go stiff. Raido's gaze sharpened as he noticed Iruka still.

"Naruto-sama?" Iruka inquired as he let go of the boy.

"'Ra-chan do you smell 'at?" Naruto asked his twin. Saukra gave a slow nod, sliding off Iruka's back.

"It smells like the air does w'en Ibiki kills a pig for dinner." Sakura shivered, "'To-chan, it's not a pig though, it smells more…wild." She struggled to find that last word.

"Let's leave it along 'ra-chan," Naruto whispered, "it'll die soon, the blood smells like its dry'in."

Sakura shook her head, her short hair swung with each shake.

"'Ra-chan." Naruto whined.

"It's still alive 'to-chan," Sakura said, "I'm going to look for it."

Before either guard could stop her, Sakura ran into the forest following the scent of blood.

"Lady Sakura!" Raido yelled as he quickly followed. Sakura pumped chakra into her five year old legs and leapt into the trees. Raido swore under his breath as he quickly pumped chakra into his own legs, trying to catch up to his charge.

/

In an old wolf pit Kakashi stared blankly at the butterfly fluttering in front of his eyes.

'_How long has it been since I was down here? Four days? A week? More?' _ The silvery grey wolf sighed '_I'm too strong, but death well be upon me soon, tomorrow night at the earliest I suppose.' _

Kakashi shifted slightly and whimpered at the sting he felt from the infected wounds, already the running pus was drying. The butterfly flew away from the small puff of air admitted from Kakashi's muzzle but quickly flew back to dance under what little sunlight filtered through the forest overhead.

A rustle was heard, Kakashi dismissed it, he had heard many rustles in the forest-birds landing and taking flight, animals moving through the brush and grasses-, then he heard another rustle, this time much closer, and tensed. Nothing in the forest should be moving toward him, the scent of blood and wolf ought to have driven away anything living.

'_If it is the zombies then surely I would have smelled them by now?'_ Kakashi thought as he submerged himself in the mind of the wolf _'Let them deal with the wolf if they are so inclined for a meal´_

Looking down over the rim of the pit Sakura gasped at the sight. A silver wolf was lying at the bottom of the pit, leaves from the trees around her blanketed the wolf faintly, as two spikes jutted out of the wolf's hind legs. Quickly Sakura slipped down the side of the pit, careful to make as much noise as possible to alert the wolf of her presence.

The wolf lifted its head and growled at her, its eyes, one ruby red with flakes of black and the other pitch black, glared at her. Sakura took a slow step forward, which was greeted by the wolf pulling back its lips to reveal two rows of very sharp teeth.

"Lady Sakura?" Raido's voice carried a hint of panic as he drew one of his kunai in preparation to defend his mistress.

"Stand down Raido!" Sakura's childish voice snapped at him, very cutely Raido thought to himself, "Don't come down here!"

Sakura never took her eyes off of the wolf's eyes and crooned to him.

"Now how long were you down here?" The wolf growled and struggled to raise, its hackles rising.

"Not too long I see," Sakura smiled in relief "Now, now don't worry I'll heal you up and then send you on your way."

The wolf was confused '_Why isn't she stinking of fear? Everyone is afraid of me, even __**him**__!'_

Sakura started to sing, a children's song that she remembered her birth mother humming as Sakura and her brother lay sleeping in her womb. As she sung she gathered the red chakra, the birth right given to her by her demon blood, into her palms and mixed it with the green-blue chakra of her human father. Mixing them between her palms Sakura gently taped each stake, causing them to disintegrate into ashes. Releasing her hold on her demon power, Sakura allowed the green healing chakra to surround her hands and placed them over the two wounds that she saw. All the while she continued to sing.

Kakashi waited for his counterpart to tear apart the little girl, but to his surprise the Wolf was calm, almost dozing. Lifting his head, Kakashi really looked at the girl tending to him and saw green eyes, emerald green that seemed to flicker into lighter shades of the same color.

'_NO!' _Kakashi wailed in his mind_ 'I don't want to be intrigued by this girl child! I want to DIE! Anything that catches my interest will catch __**his**__ too!'_ But he already knew it was too late, he was caught in her eyes, eyes that reflected the leaves that flickered in the forest, eyes that seem so kind and warm; eyes in which he could find rest.


	3. Chapter 1

Mask for a Blossom

By: Neko9406

Disclaimer: I own very little of this story, but I must say that this story is largely due to Patricia Briggs' _Masques_. After reading this book I found many similarities to Kakashi and Sakura which led me to create my own story for them. If you believe that I am a plagiarist then please make your opinion known to me so that I can delete this story before it spreads itself anymore then you want it. Thank you and now to begin.

Chapter One:

The healing of the Wolf hadn't taken long, but the infection induced fever took almost a month, during which Sakura had no choice but to stay for hours with the poor creature, she being the only human that the Wolf seemed to even remotely trust. The recovery process had taken even longer than that, spanning for almost two and a half month before the Wolf was deemed fit enough to leave the small shack, which lay on the outskirts of the castle walls, he was confined to.

'_Truthfully,' _Sakura thought to herself as she watched the silver-grey wolf streak across the meadow into the forest she found him _'It wouldn't have taken that long if the creature hadn't tried to force itself to leave so many times!'_

Sakura remembered the first time the Wolf had attempted to leave, a few days into the fever, he had torn the stitches she had carefully made in the Wolf's right shoulder, there had been a wound she hadn't noticed-right being the side the wolf was laying on-. Blood had been everywhere! Sakura thanked her strong sense of smell, if she hadn't smelled the blood than the Wolf most probably would have left and died in the forest from delirium and blood lost.

The second time the Wolf attempted to leave was a day, or night in this case, after the fever had broken. If Raido hadn't heard the scratching at the shack door and gone to investigate the Wolf would probably have escaped into the woods that night. Raido gained a nice scar across his face because of it, which almost led Genma into hysterics. Genma, resigned to the fact that his young mistress was determined to house and care for the beast, declared that the beast should at least be tethered securely.

Sakura giggled as she remembered the small feud that erupted between her Wolf and Genma. The following night, her and Naruto's sixth birthday in fact, Iruka, who had taken over Raido's night patrol until he was admitted from the hospital, heard scratching at the door of the shack. Peeking through one of the small windows he saw that the Wolf was attempting to grasp the door knob, the rope that had tied him to a post Genma had hammered into the floor was neatly chopped in two, probably by the Wolf's fangs.

Genma then proceeded to use iron next, which the Wolf had somehow managed to unhook from the post. Next came hobbling the Wolf, which had worked for two weeks, until Raido and Genma, Genma wasn't about to let his friend become Wolf bait ever again, saw a silver muzzle pushing through a slowly opening door of the shack. A loud fight then broke out between Genma and the Wolf, resulting in a scar across the Wolf's left eye, the one that glittered like rubies, and a sharp nip on Genma's rump.

At each attempted escape the Wolf kept tearing open the stitching, or strain himself, until he was in worse shape than he was if he had not attempted escape. Sakura sighed as she saw the Wolf's tail disappear into the Konoha Forest. Despite her best six year old efforts, she had not been able to become friends with the Wolf. He wouldn't even eat in her presence. During the fever she had to force the food, mashed up for easy swallow, into his mouth.

At first, in the early days of the fever, he hadn't even swallowed the food, always spiting it back out, until he was so weak Sakura began to fear that he would die in her care. So she had stated, very slowly and clearly, to the wolf that if he didn't eat anything then he would die, and not to worry "'cuz the food isn't poisoned, since Ibiki, he's the head cook you know, used to be one of Papa's inquisitors and he know every poison, herb, and plant there is in the Konoha!" It seemed that the wolf had understood her, since the next time she offered him food he had eaten it. Yet, after the fever, the Wolf had refused to eat in front of her, always waiting for her to leave it and return for an empty tray.

"Ra-chan! Are you go'na stand ther' all day?" Naruto called down from a castle window, all that could be seen of him was his bright yellow hair and waving hand. "Papa says that he wants to tell us something really 'portant!"

Sakura smiled up at his older brother, "Coming To-chan!" and walked back to the castle, breathing in the cooling air; fall would soon over take summer.

/

Kakashi wandered through the Forest of Konoha uncertain where to go. Should he stay there, it was summer so food and prey wouldn't be scarce. Go back to the girl who had saved him? Or, Gods save his mentality, return to _him?_ None of them truly appealed to him, especially not the last.

If he stayed in the forest he probably could live there for the rest of his life, yet the risk of being found and dragged back to _him _was great. Even if he did stay, how would he gain control over the second chakra that was coiled in his body ready to strike at a single moment of weakness? What if, when or if he did lose control, he destroyed this forest? That would be the largest beacon he could possibly send to _him_. Besides why should his foolishness kill the lives of the creatures, innocent as they were? He was tired of killing, regardless of innocence.

Going back to the girl child would have much the same consequences, but there was an even greater threat than simply killing people. She was warmth, the people around her were warmth, and his very presence was the destruction of something so good. But if he stayed, even for an hour longer than he had, he would have grown soft and dependent on the warmth that had never touched him. Besides, if _he _ever found him in the company of such good people, worse yet if _he_ realized that the pink haired girl was warming Kakashi's heart, _he_ would corrupt them. _He _would_**destroy**_ them just to punish Kakashi.

The Wolf felt his hackles rise at the thought. He couldn't let that happen, not even to the annoying guardsman with that needle he constantly crewed on. The best way to protect them, and him, would be to return to _him_. The Wolf whimpered and whined in Kakashi's mind at the idea, but the human, more dominant side simply sighed. He immediately understood that he would have to return to that place, the place he had run from, that place where _he_ his _father_ ruled as the Kamikage over the Land of Chakra.

Kakashi, Kamikage's son, was going to return to his father's side once more in order to protect his new found warmth. Disgruntled at the very thought Kakashi loped off in the direction to the Kamikage's castle.

Notes:

**Kamikage: **

God shadow is the title given to the most powerful and honorable Chakra user in the Land of Chakra, as voted upon by all the Chakra users. The one given this title holds the Master jutsus that control any and all human Chakra users. Kamikage's generally reside in the Kamikage's castle, said to have been built after the First Great Chakra Wars as a sign of peace.

**Kamikage's Castle:**

Known as the Palace of Spirit, it is said that the First Kamikage originally wanted to build one in each Country. After complaints from all the Daimyos' He relented and settled on building a magnificent palace at the point where a part of all the countries connect. Over the centuries many Kamikages have rebuilt, built upon, or demolished, sections of the palace to the point where no one truly knows what the original looks like and if the palace really rests on the point where all the countries connect.

**Land of Chakra:**

Also known as the Land of the Spirit, this land is one of three: The Land of the Body, The Land of the Mind, and The Land of the Spirit.

**Daimyo:**

There is one Daimyo in each of the Countries in the Land of Chakra: Fire, Water, Stone, Wind, Sound, Lightning, Earth, and Waves.

**Konoha:**

One of the major cities in the Land of Fire. This is where Sakura and Naruto were brought up.


	4. Chapter 2

Mask for a Blossom

By: Neko9406

Disclaimer: I own very little of this story, but I must say that this story is largely due to Patricia Briggs' _Masques_. After reading this book I found many similarities to Kakashi and Sakura which led me to create my own story for them. If you believe that I am a plagiarist then please make your opinion known to me so that I can delete this story before it spreads itself anymore then you want it. Thank you and now to begin.

Chapter 2

Kakashi halted on the cliff overlooking the Kamikage's Palace. With a growl of disgust he slunk over to a clearing just a few feet away from the moat. There, in the moonlight, sat Kamikage Sakumo his silver grey hair reflecting the light of the moon. Kakashi morphed back to his human form, a clone of his father. With a few brushes at his black robe Kakashi stepped out of the forest to a spot just in front of the Kamikage and sat cross-legged, mirroring the meditating man. With an exhale of breath The White Fang opened his eyes to look at his errant son, here a difference could finally be seen, instead of black eyes or red eyes the Kamikage had tawny eyes with a snake like slit in the middle.

"Welcome home my son," the Kamikage purred as he stretched his arms above his head, "And here I had through that you weren't going to come home without…force."

"Do you take me for a fool father?" Kakashi asked his voice neutral, "I do not belong anywhere else but here. Where could I go?"

The Kamikage smiled, his face transforming into that of an angel. Together the two rose from their sited position and headed toward the Palace.

"I have been summoned to the Fire Country my son. Join me." Sakumo commanded as he stepped on to the bridge.

Kakashi bowed, hiding a shudder as he stepped onto the Palace courtyard.

'_Back again in this foul cage.'_

/

In Konoha, The Yellow Flash, Minato Namikaze sat in the Great Hall of his castle, smaller than most castles, the castle walls surrounded the courtyard and gave easy access to the little town just outside the walls. Standing in front of him were his two children, one shifting restlessly from foot to foot while the other did a subtle swaying. Minato smiled as he noticed the twin's body language, both were eager to hear what he had to say.

"Papa!" as expected it was Naruto who broke the silence first, "W'at did 'uo wanna tell us?"

Minato grinned and stood from his chair, "How would you like to come with me to court Naruto?"

Naruto shouted in excitement than halted, "W'at 'bout 'Ra-chan?"

"Now Naruto what did I tell you about speaking?" Minato chided his son, "Sakura well be staying with your mother's family for a bit, that's all Naru."

Sakura's eyes widened at this and Naruto pouted.

"Papa…I…" Sakura trailed off, uneasy about visiting her mother's family, "How long?"

"I do'n wanna! If 'Ra-chan do'snt go th'n I do'n wanna go to court!" Naruto cried as he held unto Sakura's hand, he could sense his sister's unease and he didn't like it.

Minato sighed, he had had a feeling something like this would happen.

"Naruto, speak clearly or else I'm going to have Iruka tutor you for an extra hour!" Minato scolded Naruto.

"Yes, Papa," Naruto grumbled, "but I still don't want to go to court without 'Ra-chan!"

"Naruto, Sakura is a Lady; custom dictates that only a Lady who has seen her twelfth year can come to court! As my heir you must be presented at court at the age of Five!" Minato said, softening his voice a little.

"But!" Naruto began; Sakura squeezed his hand to silence him.

"Yes Papa." Sakura said, "I'm more than willing to go to the Valley of Demons."

"How long well I have to be a court?" Naruto demanded.

"It takes about two weeks to get to the Daimyo's court, about three to present you and make the rounds, than another two to get back. So a little over a month." Minato said, happy that Naruto had agreed to separate from Sakura.

"Fine." Naruto pouted again.

Sakura smiled as her brother. On the inside, however, she wasn't any happier about being separated from her brother than Naruto was. She just hoped that her relatives would be kind to her.


	5. Chapter 3

Mask for a Blossom

By: Neko9406

Disclaimer: I own very little of this story, but I must say that this story is largely due to Patricia Briggs' _Masques_. After reading this book I found many similarities to Kakashi and Sakura which led me to create my own story for them. If you believe that I am a plagiarist then please make your opinion known to me so that I can delete this story before it spreads itself anymore then you want it. Thank you and now to begin.

Chapter 3:

Dawn light filtered through the window, causing the dust motes to dance, and illuminated Sakura's pink hair. A cool fall breeze wafted through the opening and set her hair dancing. Due to the sudden wind the reddest leaves on the trees below fell and swirled with the wind. Sakura didn't notice any of this as she watched the carriage, that held the two most important men in her young life inside, disappear through the surrounding wall, across the road, and into the Konoha Forest.

Sighing, Sakura closed the shutters to her bedroom and looked at the beige bag which lay on her bed. Clothes, toiletries, towels, and a first aid-kit surrounded the bag, indicating that Sakura had been packing.

"Are you going to be all day about this?" a voice suddenly asked, a very bored, and slightly annoyed female voice.

With a gasp Sakura whirled toward the sound, which was coming from her, now open, window. On the ledge sat a yellow headed hawk with bright brown eyes, eyes flecked with green. The hawk leapt off the sill and morphed into a young woman. The woman had long blond hair, tied into loose pigtails, brown eyes, and a blue diamond on her forehead. The most noticeable feature, however, was the woman's bust; it was huge, which caused Sakura to wonder if the woman ever had back pain or trouble getting up from her bed.

"May I ask who you are?" Sakura's voice trembled slightly; she never was good around strangers. The woman looked her over, eyes taking in the pink hair and eyes. With a snort the woman pulled out a scroll, made a few hand signs, and summoned a jug, which she took a large swallow from.

"You have your mother's eyes and even a hint of her hair, but your personality is way too timid." The woman said as she wiped her mouth with a sleeve of her green jacket, "I'm your aunt, brat, your mother's older sister, Tsunade." Tsunade burped and the smell of alcohol drifted across the room.

Sakura stared at the woman, no Tsunade.

"_What have I gotten myself into?"_ Sakura screamed to herself.

/

Kakashi was bored out of his mind, he didn't show it of course, but if one knew him well they could see the slight tightening of his jaw, the way his eyes were half-lidded, and the way he leaned against the wall. A few feet in front of him his father was chatting with the elderly ruler of the Fire country, Hiruzen Sarutobi. In a loose circle around the two men were other members of the nobility and quite a few young women who hoped to _impress_ the Kamikage. With a snort, Kakashi pushed himself off of the wall and strolled to the balcony. The twenty year old was aware of the admiring looks cast his way, many noting his graceful movement and how "mysterious" he looked compared to his "warm and kind father". With a small grimace of distaste he gazed over the bustling city that surrounded the castle. His nose smelled the cigarette smoke, alerting him of his companion.

"I didn't really expect you to show up at this little get-together, Kakashi." Asuma Sarutobi, second son of the Daimyo, said as he leaned his back against the railing. A cigarette was lazily clasped between his lips as the smoke slowly drifted up.

"I had no choice." Kakashi snarled as he turned his head, glaring at the man, "Smoking isn't good for you, you know that."

Asuma snorted then coughed as smoke coughed him. After a few coughs, the cigarette safely held in his left hand, Asuma took a breath of air.

"Kami-sama, you sound like Kurenai!" Asuma laughed as he peered into the ballroom, looking for his red-eyed fiancée.

Kakashi rolled his eyes.

"Dad's excited for this party," Asuma ignored the eye roll, "The Yellow Flash is going to introduce his heir, but Uchiha isn't happy that he had to stay longer then he originally planned because Namikaze wasn't here to present his son." Asuma gestured to a tall black-haired man who stood with a slender teen male and a younger boy, who was holding onto his elder brother's pant leg. Talking to them was the leader of the Hyuuga Clan; in his arms was a young girl, her head buried in his neck, as his twin brother stood slightly behind them, his son copying his posture.

Kakashi turned to examine the Uchiha members; he scowled as a flash of silver caught his eye.

"Kabuto is here." Kakashi growled as he watched his father's prized pupil move through the crowd toward a group of three men, each with a child nearby.

Asuma chuckled as he watched Kakashi's "hackles" rise.

"One of the reasons I thought you wouldn't show," Asuma admitted, "Kabuto has been in court for about half a month now, Dad gave him the position of Head medic after the last one died."

Kakashi nodded then froze, "One of the reasons?"

Asuma smiled, but before he could say anything a loud shout was heard throughout the palace.

"KAKASHI, MY ETERNAL RIVAL! FINALLY YOU SHOW YOURSELF!" Maito Gai yelled as he ran toward Kakashi, he was a green blur, "YOU HAVE COME TO MEET MY LITTLE BROTHER HAVEN'T YOU!"

Gai screeched to a stop in front of Kakashi, teeth sparkling as he presented the little kid in his arms.

"_Fuck!"_ Kakashi thought as he saw a mini-Gai, only with longer hair and wearing a white gi compared to Gai's green tights and gi top.


	6. Chapter 4

Mask for a Blossom

By: Neko9406

Disclaimer: I own very little of this story, but I must say that this story is largely due to Patricia Briggs' _Masques_. After reading this book I found many similarities to Kakashi and Sakura which led me to create my own story for them. If you believe that I am a plagiarist then please make your opinion known to me so that I can delete this story before it spreads itself anymore then you want it. Thank you and now to begin.

Chapter 4:

Sakura grunted as she tried to keep her hold on the sheer cliff face. Overhead the noon sun beat onto her head, causing the young girl great discomfort. Sakura glanced down and gulped as she saw the dark emerald crowns of evergreens grow even more distant from her current position. A gust of cold wind caused her hair to dance and a shiver ran down her spine. A shadow fell upon her and the hawk shape of her aunt dove past her. With a shriek Sakura hurried to grasp the next stone. After almost half an hour Sakura was on flat ground, gasping for breath and sweating profusely.

Tsunade landed, in human form, beside her charge. With a grunt the busty woman handed the girl a flask of water.

"Drink you weakling. I made a promise with that fool human father of yours that I'd take you in and I can't have you dying on me now."

Sakura gratefully swallowed the warm water. Inside she was raging at the woman.

_If you don't want me to die, then don't force a SIX YEAR OLD TO CLIMB A TWICE CURSED CLIFF! YOU COW!_

Sakura carefully looked down, keeping her face calm as she cursed her 'aunt' in words that she had overheard the guards say when they were off duty and some very colorful phrases that she sometimes heard her father say, when he thought he was alone.

"Just my luck that you had to pick sandstone as the starting point," Tsunade grumbled "quartz is better."

Sakura looked up at this.

"Why?"

"There is a saying in our village: Quartz for Luck and Sandstone for Perseverance." Tsunade pulled out another flask and took a swig, "It is normal for Fathers to give their sons sandstone while the Mothers give their daughters quartz. This way when two marry their family will have luck in life and perseverance to make a strong family. Children are rare in our village so sometimes a family needs a bit of luck and perseverance. Of course it's normal for our people to change genders so sometimes the stones are just a formality to celebrate the birth of a child."

"But what does that have to do with a starting point?" Sakura asked politely.

Tsunade looked at the pink haired child, measuring her with her eyes. Putting down her flask Tsunade leaned toward the girl.

"Are you sure you're a kid? Cause you sure don't sound like one." Tsunade asked, "But then again with that chest there's no way you could be anything less."

Sakura's eye twitched. She suddenly got the urge to punch this woman VERY hard.

/

Kakashi was annoyed. That was all that could be said. He was annoyed at the world. He was annoyed with the group of nobles chattering away. He was annoyed at Gai. But more than anyone, he was annoyed at a certain silver-haired, black-eyed and glasses wearing, medic. A certain medic who had, as of yet, not moved away from his side for the last half hour despite the slight killing intent Kakashi was deliberately directing toward the man. However, Kakashi was stubborn, much too stubborn to lose out in a waiting contest. Kabuto, the rat, seemed to know this too since he only smiled when Kakashi rose the level of his killing intent up another notch; causing the couple standing three feet away to start looking around nervously.

A resounding SMACK was heard as Kakashi's body jerked forward, almost completely over the balcony. Whirling around, an animalistic snarl on his lips, Kakashi channeled chakra into his fist, preparing himself to rip into whoever had smacked him.

A red blur flashed before his eyes before something took hold of his robe and tossed him into the ballroom. With a grunt Kakashi flipped midair, landing in a crouch, and looked up to find a young petite woman glaring at him. The woman kicked out with one sharply clad heel and slammed it into his chest, knocking the wind out of him.

"Listen here BRAT!" The woman snarled as she bore down onto his chest, "I've had it with your pissy attitude! So you want to be left alone? Okay fine! But don't start spilling out killing intent in the presence of normal people!"

With each word the woman put more and more pressure on his chest as her flaming red hair seemed to bristle and grow with her anger. Looming over the young man a shadow covered the woman's face leaving her face a mystery but her eyes seemed to glow.

"Now, now, my dear," Hiruzen Sarutobi laughed, making calming gestures to the woman, "I'm certain that young Kakashi just didn't want to appear rude toward his father's pupil. So let him up."

The red head snorted in a rather unladylike fashion and stepped off the downed boy.

"I'm only doing this because it's for you Sarutobi-sama," the red head pouted.

"It is good to see you again my dear!" Sarutobi chuckled as he hugged the woman, "How are things with your grandmother?"

"She is well Sarutobi-sama." The woman smiled as she hugged the old man back, "She sends greetings from the Country of Whirlpools."

Kakashi slowly got up, massaging his chest, and schooled his face into a blank mask.

_Who the hell is this demon bitch?_ Kakashi thought discourteously.

As if she heard his thought the red head turned to face him, a poisonous glare on her face.

With an almost visible gulp Kakashi took a slight step back and bowed.

_Whoever she is, she must have some power to sneak up on me like that and some status if she can speak so with the Daimyo of Fire. Who the hell is she anyways?_


	7. Chapter 5

Mask for a Blossom

By: Neko9406

Disclaimer: I apologize for the long wait; writer's block has not fully lifted. All I own is the Ooc-ness and the AU. Please enjoy.

Chapter 5:

The Mononoke Village was normal, if you discounted the amount of people with tails-ranging from cat to a delicately held dragon tail- and animal ears-Sakura swore that she saw a pair of antlers too-, people bustled around buying and selling or going to and from business. All in all, the rumored demon village whispered by the town-folk of Konoha fell far short of Sakura's expectations. Tsunade, snorting at the politely blank face Sakura was attempting to pull, noticed this.

"We are a village. We are living beings that have to go about life." Tsunade swallowed a swig from her bottle. A toad hopped onto her foot and seemed to leer up her leg, as if it was trying to sneak a peek. With an annoyed shake of her foot Tsunade dislodged the creature and stepped firmly on its back.

"Jiraya, you old pervert!" Tsunade hissed down at the toad, "Release that jitsu now or I'll make some nice medicine from toad eyes!"

With an alarmed "CROAK" The toad morphed itself into the shape of a white haired old man wearing a bright red hakama, his wide eyes framed by kabuki paint. Tsunade's foot was still planted on his back.

"Now, sweet heart," The old man started to say, before Tsunade pressed down more firmly. He wisely shut up.

"Sakura, meet the man that I foolishly married when I was drunk and young. Man you I can't divorce, even if I wanted to, meet our niece. Do anything to her and no one is going to find out where I hid your body." The man waved from the ground, smiling up at the child.

"'Ello Sakura-chan," He said merrily, as if his wife wasn't grinding him into the dirt.

Sakura stared at the man, disliking the way he was examining her.

"In ten years you'll be quite the looker," He leered at her, "hope your breasts become larger. The females in your family always have very nice breasts."

Sakura, taking a note from her aunt, stepped on his face. Tsunade looked surprised before she grinned.

"Maybe it won't be a pain to teach you after all."

Sakura grinned back.

/

Lady Kushina Uzumaki. That was the Heiress of The Country of Whirlpools' name. Kakashi hated her. He concentrated all of his hatred onto that one red-headed female as he glared at her, silently imagining the red of her hair as flames or blood, maybe from some sort of internal injury that caused her brain to fry.

"You have a crush on her." It took a few seconds for Kakashi to process what Asuma had just said. He stared, in silent but palpable incredulity, at his friend.

"What?"

Asuma smirked around his cigarette, took it out and spoke slowly.

"You. Have. A. Crus-"

Kakashi's hand wrapped itself loosely, but pointedly, around Asuma's bare neck and squeezed. Asuma froze.

A few seconds of silence passed as the two stared into the other's eyes. Suddenly Asuma grinned and substituted himself.

Kakashi swung around, releasing the block of wood, and sent a shuriken spinning across the room, clipping a few hairs from unaware guests, where it nicked the end of Asuma's unlit cigarette.

Asuma flickered away and Kakashi was after him.

They landed in the courtyard, frightening a few of the gardeners. Asuma pulled out his chakra blades and sent them buzzing to life. Kakashi, in turn, started to make the hands movements to activate Chidori.

"And I think that that is enough my dear young sirs." An amused baritone reverberated around the courtyard as hands firmly pushed the two young men's heads down toward the ground.

"Minato!" Hiruzen's pleased voice came down from the balcony, where several guests were gathered to watch the standoff.

"I'm sorry that I am so late Sarutobi-sama." Minato apologized as he let go of the two's heads.

"Nonsense, nonsense." Hiruzen chuckled, "Come on up Minato. I am anxious to see your young heir!"

"Shall we go up?" Minato asked as he flashed a blinding smile at the two. Asuma answered in kind as Kakashi felt his insides twist.

_Why is Minato of Konoha here? The she-pup isn't is she?_

Kakashi, his face blank, felt bile rise into his throat at the thought of the green eyed child within reaching distance of his father.


	8. Chapter 6

Mask for a Blossom

By: Neko9406

Disclaimer: All I own is the Ooc-ness and the AU. Please enjoy.

Chapter 6:

Sakura warily circled her opponent. Two hours of taijutsu against the tanuki demon had been tiring and completely fruitless.

"Put more chakra into your fists girl!" Tsunade called from a little way off, sitting on a boulder as she fanned herself.

"Yes, Ma'am!" Sakura channeled as much chakra into her fist as she could then rushed the tanuki.

The demon blinked in surprise as Sakura's fist finally pummeled through his sand shield and came very close to penetrating his sand armor. Gaara summoned more sand and solidified it around her tiny fist, stopping her momentum and causing her to swing several feet off the ground.

Gently the tanuki pup settled the girl back on her feet and bowed respectfully. His elder siblings chattered excitedly at the demonstration Sakura and Gaara had put on before dragging him over to the boulder, where a picnic had been set up. With a quiet huff Gaara allowed his elder sister to tend to what little wounds he had gained while his brother started piling food on his plate.

Sakura swayed on her feet and almost fell onto her back, only to land on her Aunt's legs.

"Thanks, Auntie." Sakura murmured. Tsunade snorted, not looking at the girl.

"Don't thank me! You fell just when I stepped up."

Sakura didn't reply, the constant pumping of chakra for two hours had exhausted her.

"Brat?" Tsunade looked down and stifled another snort. Sakura had fallen asleep.

Tsunade smiled and lifted the girl into her arms.

The Slug Demoness transported into their little cabin, a humble wooden structure on the fringe of town.

"You look just like Kuruma when you sleep." Tsunade mused as she cuddled the girl, "Sleep well, Sakura-chan, tomorrow is the final test to see if you well be welcomed back into the village."

She undressed the child, tucked her into bed, and watched as Sakura snuggle into the soft mattress. The child, for all she was half human, was progressing at a good pace. Sakura was by no means on par with her demon age-mates but, compared to the slow witted human brats, was smart and made up for her lacking skills with hard work, a human trait but not necessarily a bad one.

Tomorrow Sakura would be given the coming of age test, for demoness pups, to see if she was worthy to continue studying in the Demon Village the next several years. Tsunade had no doubts that Sakura would pass. After all, the child only needed to live a week in the woods and return to the Valley of the Demons without Tsunade's guidance.

Tsunade sighed before transporting herself into her office. She had taken an extra long break from paperwork as the Village's Hokage and Shizune was breathing down her neck. Sometimes Tsunade wondered if her Pig Demoness friend didn't have a bit of dragon in her.

Tsunade stared morosely at all the paperwork that absolutely needed her signature and whined.

/

Kakashi watched the yellowed hair child of Minato cling to the Uchiha's youngest brat and wail-the youngest Uchiha didn't look any happier to see his friend go. The boy had already demonstrated to the whole court how loud he could be. He had also demonstrated the Namikaze power of being utterly charming and likeable.

Kakashi has just happy that his pink haired sister hadn't been brought to court. Though, if he had been thinking clearly for the first few minutes upon meeting the two Namikaze, he would have remembered that Ladies weren't presented to court until twelve years of age. His stomach and heart had been twisting itself into tiny knots when he watched the bright haired males greet his father, imagining all the ways his father could _experiment_ on them-slicing off skin, finding new torture methods, using forbidden jutsus to bring them back to life; their blond hair changing to pink as blood flowed from their broken skulls.

Kakashi shook his head clear as he watched Lady Kushina kneel behind the lad and whisper something into his ear. The lad-What was his name? Narumi? No-Naruto slowly let go of the Uchiha boy and buried his face into the Lady's red hair. She picked him up, turned to smile at the waiting blond Lord, and entered into the waiting carriage.

"Jealous?" an amused voice came from Kakashi's side.

"No." Kakashi's voice was as emotionless as his face. The Kamikage chuckled as he snaked an arm around his son's waist.

"I wonder." Sakumo purred against Kakashi's ear as he watched the carriage roll away, "But who are you jealous of, the man or the woman?"

Kakashi did not allow his body to strike out at his father; he knew the consequences of such actions all too well. Instead he didn't reply at all; silence had always been the best answer.

Sakumo chuckled at the silence, drawing his own conclusions. A call from the Daimyo of The Fire Country drew him away from his son. The Kamikage smiled, causing a few Lords and Ladies nearby to blush, and left his son alone.

Kakashi careful flexed his hands.

_I will not show weakness._

He stared after the dust cloud the carriage had left behind, wishing that he was inside as well.


End file.
